That evening, I went to Liang's house. When I entered, they were already setting the table for dinner. They called me in warmly, and we all sat down to eat together.
As we started eating, I looked out the window and said, "Auntie, the garden looks totally neglected. Even the flower you planted last week has dried up."
Liang's mother sighed and replied, "I told Liang to take care of it, but she's too lazy to even water a plant. I wonder how she manages a classroom full of children."
"Maa~~ it's just a flower," Liang whined. "I'll buy a beautiful one tomorrow and plant it with my own hands, okay? Happy now?"
Then she turned to me and said with a smirk, "And you, Qin, tell my mom how well I'm teaching at school."
I stood up, gave her a dramatic round of applause, and said, "She's one of the favorite teachers in our school! Even the ones who took extra leaves can't match her commitment. She never even gets proper weekends off!"
Liang's mom burst out laughing and gave me a high five. Liang, flustered, stood up and gave me a gentle knock on the head. Her mom smiled and told us to sit and finish eating.
A few minutes later, Liang couldn't help herself and started teasing me again. "So, Qin," she said with a knowing look, "how's your love life going? Any progress?"
I gave her a death glare and lightly kicked her leg under the table.
Her mother raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh~~ our Qin is in love? Who's the lucky guy?"
I blushed furiously, unable to answer. Before I could say anything, Liang rolled her eyes and said, "She's falling for a doctor."
I tapped the table and said, "Hey! We're not dating!"
Her mother looked intrigued. "Tell me everything," she said, turning to Liang. And so, Liang spilled the whole story.
When she finished, her mother looked pleased. "Let him pursue you. If he really loves you, he'll propose. I think it's only a matter of time."
Liang gasped. "Maa~~ I'm your daughter! Why are you rooting for her love story more than mine?"
I laughed out loud.
Her mother gave her a sly look and said, "When you find your Mr. Right, I'll definitely want to meet him. And then I'll say, 'Wow, you've got great taste falling for my daughter.'"
She and I burst out laughing again. Liang pouted and said, "You two are clearly teaming up against me!"
---
The next morning, Liang's mom knocked on our bedroom door. We freshened up and joined her for breakfast.
While we were eating, she said, "Liang, go buy flowers for the garden today. And make sure you plant them with your own hands."
Liang stared at her, shocked. "I said I'd buy them and plant them… but I didn't say I'd do it today!"
Her mom raised an eyebrow. "See, Qin? She has short-term memory. I don't know how to deal with this girl."
I smiled as Liang groaned in frustration. "Alright, alright! I'll buy the flowers after breakfast."
Once we finished eating, Liang and I waved goodbye to her mother and stepped out. I waved to her and headed back to my place.
---
Liang walked down the road and came across a charming little flower shop. She stepped inside, instantly drawn to the rows of colorful blooms. The flowers were beautiful—vibrant, fresh, and full of life.
As she explored the shop, admiring everything, her eyes landed on a man carefully planting flowers at the back of the store. His posture was focused, and his figure looked familiar.
She hesitated for a second, then called out, "Excuse me, can you help me pick some flowers for our garden?"
The man stood up and turned around.
Liang froze. It was him. The tall man who had bumped into her the other evening.
He walked toward her casually, as if it were nothing.
"What kind of flowers are you looking for?" he asked.